Ohio Animal Advocates is excited to introduce Scott Mills, Chief Dog Warden and Humane Agent for Marion County in Ohio and a member of the OAA Board of Directors. Scott has spent more than a decade working directly in animal welfare and brings firsthand experience in humane enforcement, animal cruelty investigations, community resources and legislation to OAA.

Animal Charity of Ohio has suspended its humane investigations and animal intakes, citing financial and capacity challenges that organization leaders say have made it impossible to continue the services for now. The organization had already suspended animal control services in June, but continued conducting humane investigations and accepting animals from abuse and neglect cases.

Animal Charity of Ohio has suspended its humane investigations and animal intakes, citing financial and capacity challenges that organization leaders say have made it impossible to continue the services for now. The organization had already suspended animal control services in June, but continued conducting humane investigations and accepting animals from abuse and neglect cases.

For people experiencing homelessness, entering a shelter or housing program can sometimes mean facing an impossible decision: accept services or stay with a beloved pet. A fellowship opportunity from My Dog Is My Home is helping organizations build a different model.

Concerns about conditions at the Lake County Dog Shelter are drawing increased attention after an HVAC failure during extreme summer heat forced officials to relocate most of the shelter’s dogs. During a July heat wave, temperatures inside the shelter reportedly reached 94.5 degrees.

Earlier this month, Ohio Animal Advocates reported on changes at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) affecting how the agency handles housing complaints involving emotional support animals (ESAs). While federal enforcement priorities have changed, the Fair Housing Act has not, and Ohio renters also have state-level protections.

The votes are in, and we have a winner! Bo, beloved companion of Ohio Animal Advocates’ Executive Director, Vicki Deisner, took the top spot in Ohio Animal Foundation’s 2026 Summer Pet Photo Contest. Ohio Animal Foundation is a partner organization of Ohio Animal Advocates.

A Loudonville commercial dog breeding operation with a history of animal welfare violations is under investigation after authorities removed 72 dogs and puppies from the property. The Humane Society of Ashland County assisted in removing approximately 50 adult dogs and 22 puppies from Happy Mountain K9 Facility on August 27.

As animal shelters face capacity challenges, rising intake, and preventing unplanned litters is an important part of reducing pressure on shelters and keeping pets with their families. In this webinar from United Spay Alliance and Community Cats Central, Pet Friendly Services of Indiana shared lessons from 50 years of experience building and managing a statewide spay/neuter assistance program.

Ohio Animal Advocates recently submitted a letter of support for our partner, YWCA of Northwest Ohio, and its application for FY2026 Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) funding. The YWCA of Northwest Ohio provides critical services to survivors of domestic and sexual violence, including outreach, safety support, emergency shelter, and assistance for survivors with pets.

Ohio’s dog-bite statute, R.C. 955.28(B), imposes strict liability on the “owner, keeper, or harborer of a dog” for any injury to a person or property caused by the dog. This means that owners, keepers, and harborers can be held responsible for injuries caused by a dog, regardless of whether they intended or could have foreseen the injury.

A federal judge has blocked another attempt by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to dramatically change how billions of dollars in federal homelessness funding are distributed.